Various types of rivet driving tools have been previously proposed for use by the homeowner or "do it yourselfer". These devices generally consist of special purpose hand tools associated with specially designed rivets to enable the homeowner to rivet pieces of sheet metal or other workpieces together in a simple and relatively inexpensive manner. However, in each instance a separate special tool is required.
To overcome the need for a separate special riveting tool, certain devices have been previously proposed such as, for example, are disclosed in German Gebrauchsmuster No. 8223170.2, filed Aug. 17, 1982. In the device disclosed in that German Gebrauchsmuster, an attachment is adapted to be fitted on the working end of a staple gun tacker so that the blade of the tacker drives a pin into a hollow rivet. The pin is slidably mounted in the attachment, and its movement into the bore of the rivet causes the rivet to flare or expand in a hole in the workpiece, thereby securing the rivet to the workpiece. With the device disclosed in that Gebrauchsmuster however, there are a number of problems in that the driving pin can easily be removed or fall from the attachment and be lost. In addition, the driving pin of the attachment enters the rivet and can become jammed. Moreover, it is relatively difficult to align the driving pin with the rivet prior to operation of the staple gun tacker.
Another system for installing rivets is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,738. In that case a specially designed rivet is provided in which a driving pin is mounted in the rivet itself and a driving member is, somehow, impacted against the driving pin to force the rivet to expand. However, the patent does not disclose how the driving force is applied.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple attachment for use on a conventional hand-operated staple gun tacker which will enable rivets to be driven into a workpiece.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for a staple gun tacker which will permit rivets to be driven by the tacker.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simply constructed and inexpensively manufactured rivet attachment for a staple gun tacker.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a reliable and easily guided riveting attachment for a staple gun tacker device.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: